Towel dispensing apparatus



Dec. 11, 1934. I G. A. STEINER 1,983,647

TOWEL DI SPENS ING AP ARATUS Filed Feb. 11, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet l 22 INVENTOR.

5 GEORGE A.-5TEINEF? A TTORNEYS.

1934- G. A. STEINER TOWEL DI SPENS ING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 11, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. GEORGE A STEINEI? A TTORNEYS.

Patented Dec. 11, 1934 1 STATES 'roWEL DISPENSING APPARATUS George Adolph Steiner, Salt Lake City, Utah, as-

signor to Steiner Sales Company, Salt Lake Gity, Utah, a corporation of Utah Application February 11, 1933, Serial No. 656,284

11 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for dispensing toweling, and may be applied to any suitable type of apparatus which includes means for taking up soiled toweling, An

"5 object of the invention is also to provide auxiliary equal speeds.

means for operating the soiled toweling take-up means independently of any other means which may be employed, to operate it, and to provide means movable respectively for preventing and permitting action of the auxiliary means, and to further provide means for controlling this movable means to permit or prevent action of the auxiliary means conformably to the amount of clean toweling.

The invention is shown applied to a type of apparatus which includes feed and take-up rolls, with driving means by which the take-up roll is operated by the feed roll, the feed roll being in turn operated by the friction of clean toweling against it. In this embodiment, the toweling forms a loop, the forward clean portion of which is visible and accessible to the user. In the normal operation of the device the loop is maintained by operating the feed and takeeup rolls at In the present embodiment, auxiliary means is provided for operating the take-up roll, to obliterate the loop only, or to entirely wind up all of the toweling on the soiled towel roll after the clean toweling is exhausted or substantially exhausted. It is broadly to the use of the auxiliary take-up feature that the present invention is directed.

Objects of the invention are: to provide main and auxiliary means for operating soiled toweling take-up means and to permit or prevent operation of the auxiliary means conformably to the amount of the clean toweling supply.

Other objects are: to provide a clutch means associated with the take-up roll; to provide auxiliary means connectable with the take-up roll for driving it manually; to provide movable means adapted to prevent connection of the last mentioned means; and to provide means operable as r a result of dwindling clean towel supply, to move the preventing means to permit or obtain connection of the auxiliary operating means.

Another object is to associate a clutch directly with the take-up roll, and to provide means carried by the roll for operatingthe clutch to open it, as the auxiliary take-up roll operating means is moved for performing its auxiliary take-up roll control.

Features include all details of construction, along with the broader ideas of means inherent in the disclosure, or illustrated, or described therein.

Objects, features and advantages of the invention-will be set forth in the description of the drawings forming a part of this application, and in said drawings Figure 1 is a vertical central transverse section, through a cabinet showing the arrangement of the toweling feed, take-up roll, etc., with the mechanism positioned as when thereis remaining a substantial supply of clean toweling and With-a normal amount of looped toweling accessible and visible; v

Figure 2 is a vertical section through the cabinet on a line corresponding to line 2-2 of Figure 3;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary section taken substantially on line 3-3 of Figure 2, showing the parts positioned to prevent connection of the auxiliary take-up roll operating means;

Figure 4 is a fragmental diagrammatic section, illustrating the driving and clutch mechanism associated with the feed and take-up rolls, and also showing the relation of the auxiliary take-up roll operating means; and

Figure 5 is a section on line 55 of Figure 4, illustrating the sprocket-carried portion of the clutch.

This invention is embodied in a wall type of towel dispensing apparatus, but may be embodied in any suitable apparatus. Referring first to Figure 1, which illustrates the general relation of parts of one type of apparatus: Numeral 1 indicates the outer casing of the cabinet having the usual door 2. The bottom 3 of the casing is provided at the rear with an elongated slot 4 upwardly through which the toweling is drawnto be connected with the take-up roll. The front edge of this bottom is spaced from the doorto form an elongated slot 5 to permit the toweling to pass beneath the cabinet to hang therebelow in a position to be grasped by the user. Attached to the rear wall of the casing 1 is a bracket 6 which forms part of a means for smoothing out the soiled toweling before it reaches the soiled towel roll.

Within the casing 1 is an element referred to herein as a swing-housing, which constitutes a support for the major portion of the operating mechanism. This housing is formed by two side plates 8 and 9 cross-connected at their lower portions by a plate having a vertical portion 10, a curved portion 11 and a horizontal portion 12, the latter portion forming the bottom of the housing. Upon the bottom is supported-a roll of clean toweling 14. A-second plate 15 tops the portion of the first plate and extends horizontally outwardly, and its outer end is curved outwardly and upwardly to lie between the feed and take-up rolls respectively indicated l617. The swinghousing thus formed is pivoted :by suitable means indicated at 18, the pivot being arranged near the top of the outer casing 1. After the adoor'2 .of the casing 1 is opened, the housing can be to be drawn out.

swung outwardly to facilitate introduction of fresh toweling and/or removal of soiled toweling. Pivoted prop arms, not shown, are usually provided for holding the housing in its outermost position.

After introduction of the roll of clean toweling 14, the end of the toweling is first engaged with a feed roll 16 rotatably journaled in plates 8 and 9. The journal detail is best shown in Figure 4. The toweling is then brought around a pinch roll 20 journaled in slots 21 of plates 8 and 9. This roll operates by gravity in a well-known manner to press the toweling against the feed roll to obtain the proper frictional contact. The toweling is then brought downwardly through slot 5 and below the bottom 3 of the casing 1, and then upwardly to form a loop indicated at 22. It is then passed upwardly through the slot 4 around a towel-smoothing edge 23 of plate 15, then around a curved smoothing surface of bracket 6, then upwardly against smoothing-bar 24, thence to the soiled towel roll 25. The shaft of this roll is suitably guided in slots 26, in the plates 8 and 9, and is held by gravity in its operative position.

- After the end of the toweling is wrapped on the roll, a drive can be accomplished by means of its frictional relation with take-up roll 17.

In cabinets of this general type, push-button or lever controlled means (not shown herein) is provided for locking the feed roll against further motion after a predetermined length of clean toweling has been pulled out by the user. This lever or button must be pushed each time, to release the roll to permit a length of clean toweling Such mechanism forms no part of the present invention, but is mentioned to make it clear that the feed roll is not continually free for rotation.

The take-up roll 1'7 is driven, in this instance, (see Figure 4) from the feed roll at equal speed therewith, by means of a sprocket chain drive, including a sprocketwheel 30, suitably attached to one end of the roll 16 and surrounding the shaft 31 of the roll, said shaft extending beyond the sprocket and having a suitable bearing in the plate 9. The other sprocket is indicated at 32 and is rotatable upon the shaft 33 of roll 1'7, and lies between the plate 9 and the roll. This gear 32, see Figure 5, is provided with clutch projections 34 which are engageable with corresponding sockets 35 in the end wall 36 of the roll 17,. A spring 38 acting against the outer face of the .sprocket wheel 32 is adapted to move the Wheel to the clutch position, shown in Figure 3. The wheel 32 occupies the clutch position, as long as there is an adequate supply of clean toweling, and with the gear in this position, the take-up roll is-so operated that soiled toweling is taken up at the same rate that clean toweling is delivered.

An important feature of this invention is the provision of auxiliary means for operating the take-up roll 17, and there is no intention to limit the invention entirely to the specific means shown. This means includes a device mounted on the take-up roll, for disconnecting the clutch when the auxiliary roll-operating means is moved for connection. In this instance, the auxiliary means for operating the take-up roll includes a shaft 40 slidable in a bearing in the vertical wall of the casing 1, said shaft being manually operable by a crank 41. The outer end of the shaft is provided with a blade-like clutching extension 42 which non-rotatably fits a correspondingly shaped socket 43 (see Figure 4') in the end of the shaft of the take-up roll. The shaft 40 is translatable from the position shown in Figure 3 to that shown in Figure 4 and is, therefore, connectable for operating the roll. A spring 44 normally holds the shaft 40 in its outermost position, as in Figure 3, and the shaft is moved against the action of this spring to the clutch position shown in Figure 4. Spring 38 acts to hold its clutch in; spring 44 to hold its clutch out.

Arranged axially of the roll 17 and axially translatable therein is a rod 46, one end of which normally extends into the socket 43, as shown in Figure 3, to be engageable by the end of clutch blade 42. This rod has at its opposite end a cross-head 47 carrying two pins 48, each slidable in an opening 49 in the head or end of the roll 1'7. The pins 48 are engageable with the'face of the sprocket gear 32 to move that gear against the action of the spring 38 to unclutched position. Movement of the rod 46 to accomplish release of the take-up roll from its driving connection with the feed roll is obtained as a result of engagement of the end of the clutch blade 42 with the end of the rod 46, and continued motion of said shaft 40 after such engagement.

Another feature of this invention relates to means for normally preventing operation of the take-up roll by the auxiliary operating means, that is, in this illustrative embodiment, preventing clutching connection of blade 42 with the socket 43, while there is an adequate supply of clean toweling. This means includes a member 50 (see Figures 2 and 3) placed against the outer face of the plate 8, and held for sliding and rocking motions by means of a screw 51 passing through a slot 52, see Figures 2 and 3. This member 50 has a laterally oil-set extension 54 which is disposed between the shaft 40 and the socket 43 of the shaft of the roll 17. this extension 54 is an opening 55 through which the clutch blade 42 can pass for clutching. With the parts positioned as in Figure 3, such clutching cannot take place, and, therefore, coupling of the auxiliary winding means cannot be accomplished. The position of the clutch-preventing means is controlled by means engaging the clean toweling, and to this end, the lower end of member 50 is pivoted as at 56 to extension 57 of a crank of a yoke generally indicated at 58. The yoke is pivoted as at 5960 respectively in plate 8 and plate 9.

The outer end 61 of the yoke engages with the web portion 62 of the clean toweling in a manner shown in Figure l, and as long as the yoke occupies the position shown, the auxiliary means cannot be operatively connected. However, by the time the supply of clean toweling is substantially exhausted, the yoke has assumed the position shown in Figure 2, and the preventing means 54 has been moved to align the opening 55 to permit traversal by clutch blade 42, see Figure 4.

There is, therefore, provided means movable for preventing action of the auxiliary means while there is an adequate supply of toweling, said means being also operable when the supply of clean toweling is substantiaily exhausted for moving said preventing means to permit operation of said auxiliary means. During the movement of the element 42 to: clutching position, the driving or clutch relation of the gear 32 with the roll is interrupted, as in Figure 4.

It is conceivable that other forms of auxiliary means suitably associated for driving the takeup roll independently may be used, and that other means adapted to prevent or permit operation of such auxiliary means may be used, and that other forms of means for controlling the last mentioned means conformably to the amount of the clean towel supply may be employed. Moreover, it is intended herein to cover the use of the auxiliary control means independently of the towel-controlled means, but in conjunction with means for rendering the primary driving means inoperative before operation of the auxiliary means.

I claim as my invention:

1. A towel dispensing apparatus, including means for taking up soiled toweling, auxiliary means for manually operating said soiled towel take-up means, means movable respectively for preventing and permitting action of the auxiliary means, and means for controlling said last mentioned means to permit or prevent action of the auxiliary means conformablyto the amount of the clean toweling supply.

2. A towel dispensing apparatus, including a soiled toweling take-up roll and means for operating the same, auxiliary means for manually operating the take-up roll, movable means for preventing action of the auxiliary means while there is an adequate supply of clean toweling, and means controlled by the clean toweling for moving said preventing means to permit operation of said auxiliary means.

3. In a towel dispensing apparatus, means including a soiled toweling take-up roll operable as a result of pulling of the towel by the user, auxiliary means for manually operating the takeup roll, movable means for preventing action of the auxiliary means while there is an adequate supply of clean toweling, and means operable when the supply of clean toweling is substantially exhausted for moving said preventing means to permit operation of said auxiliary means.

4. An apparatus for dispensing toweling, including a feed roll and a soiled toweling take-up roll, means by which the feed roll drives the take-up roll, auxiliary means connectable with the take-up roll for driving it manually, movable means adapted to prevent connection of the last mentioned means, and means operable as a result of near exhaustion of the clean towel supply to move the preventing means to permit connection of said auxiliary operating means with the roll.

5. Apparatus for dispensing toweling including, a feed roll and a. take-up roll, means by which the feed roll drives the take-up roll, means by which said drive means can be rendered inoperative, auxiliary means connectable for independently driving the take-up roll, means for rendering said first mentioned driving means inoperable as the auxiliary means is moved for connection, means for preventing connection of said auxiliary means, and means operable when the towel supply is exhausted or nearly exhausted for operating the preventing means to permit connection of said auxiliary means.

6. A towel dispensing apparatus including a feed roll and a take-up roll, a driving connection for the rolls including a clutch by which the driving connection can be interrupted means movable to disconnect the clutch, auxiliary means for operating the take-up roll, and connectable for such operation and adapted when moved for connection to operate said clutch disconnecting means to disconnect the clutch, means for preventing connection of said auxiliary operating means, and means operable when the toweling is substantially exhausted for moving the preventing means to permit connection of said auxiliary means.

'7. An apparatus for dispensing toweling including a feed roll and a take-up roll, means for driving the rolls including clutch means for connecting and disconnecting the driving means, auxiliary means connectable for independently driving the take-up roll, means carried by said roll for operating the clutch to disconnect the driving means when the auxiliary means is moved for connection, means for preventing connection of said auxiliary means, and means operable when the towel supply is nearly exhausted for actuating said preventing means to permit connection of said auxiliary means.

8. An apparatus for dispensing toweling including a feed roll and a take-up roll, means for driving the rolls including clutch means in part carried by the take-up roll for connecting and disconnecting the driving means, auxiliary means for independently driving the take-up roll, means carried by the said roll operable by said auxiliary means to disconnect the clutch, when said auxiliary means is moved for connection, means for preventing connection of said manual means and means operable only when the towel supply is nearly exhausted for actuating said preventing means to permit connection of said auxiliary means.

9. In a towel dispensing apparatus means including a soiled towel take-up roll and means by which it is operated as the result of pulling of the towel by the user, clutch means in part carried by the take-up roll, and adapted to automatically clutch therewith, auxiliary means connectable with the roll for independently driving it, means carried by said roll for disconnecting the clutch and. operable by said auxiliary means to disconnect the clutch when said auxiliary means is moved for connection, means for preventing connection of said auxiliary means, and means operable when the towel supply is nearly exhausted for actuating said preventing means to permit connection of said auxiliary means.

10. An apparatus for dispensing toweling, having soiled toweling take-up means, means for operating the take-up means to take up soiled toweling, auxiliary means separate from but connectable with said last mentioned means for operating the same, and means for controlling said auxiliary means to permit it to operate the soiled towel take-up means only when the supply of clean toweling is exhausted or nearly exhausted.

11. In a towel dispensing apparatus, soiled towel take-up means and means for operating the same, auxiliary means adapted to couple with the soiled towel take-up means to operate the same, and separate therefrom, and means controlled by the toweling supply to permit or prevent coupling action of the auxiliary means.

GEORGE ADOLPH STEINER. 

